Top 10 Stars of 2026

jonjoward1998
21 minutes ago
6 min read

The World Cup kicks off next week and in my final top 10 before the tournament starts, I've decided to make this week's top 10 about the players who I think will light up the tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico.

Many players have lit up the World Cup over the years including some of the greatest players to play the game and some of them have even lit up the world stage at more than once World Cup.

Many players taking part at this World Cup will be looking to add themselves to that list including the names on the list with one or two of them having already lit up more than one World Cup

Before I reveal the list, I can confirm that neither Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi are on it as they're both in the twilight years of their careers and I don't see them having a massive impact at this tournament because of that.

Now here is the list:

Kylian Mbappe

Lamine Yamal

Harry Kane

Erling Haaland

Vinicius Junior

Michael Olise

Bruno Fernandes

Federico Valverde

Declan Rice

Pedri

Federico Valverde

Valverde has been one of the best all-round midfielders in the world over the last few years due to his energy and ability to both sides of the game to great effect.

He's also one of the most versatile as he can play in a variety of positions and do a job wherever he's asked to play whether that be in midfield, out wide and even at right back.

He showed how versatile he is during Real Madrid's win over Man City in the Champions League back in March where he scored a hat trick in a game where he started out wide.

He'll be Uruguay's go-to player at this World Cup and it looks like they're going to heavily rely on him due to the lack of quality in their forward line.

Erling Haaland

Haaland will finally have the chance to represent his country at a major tournament at this World Cup which will be Norway's first major tournament since the 1998 edition.

He's more than established himself as one of if not the best marksman in world football over the last five or so years at club level and he now has the chance to show it on the world stage.

But I had to have him quite low down this list because I don't see Norway reaching the latter stages of this tournament due to Haaland being their only superstar.

I do have Norway down as my darks horses and I think he'll score a handful of goals at this tournament, but I don't see them going very far.

Declan Rice

Rice has developed into one of the best all-round midfielders in the world over the last few years and this World Cup could be the tournament where he shows why.

He'll be let off the leash more now that he'll be next to a proper no.6 in Elliot Anderson which will give him the freedom to push up the pitch and express himself.

He's arguably England's best all-round midfielder since Steven Gerrard because he's brilliant at both sides of the game due to his energy, tenacity and work rate off the ball.

He was the driving force behind Arsenal's Premier League title win and journey to the Champions League final this season and he now needs to be that player for England if they're to finally end that 60-year wait for a trophy.

Bruno Fernandes

Fernandes comes into this World Cup off the back of a stellar season at Man United as he broke the record for most assists in a Premier League season with 21.

He'll be looking to carry that form into this tournament which could be the one where he becomes Portugal's main man as Cristiano Ronaldo is at the end of his international career and no longer the talismanic figure he was for his country.

He hasn't always delivered for his country in major tournaments but after he season he's just had at Man United, this could be the tournament he delivers and if he does, Portugal have a good chance.

Pedri

This will be Pedri's fourth major tournament with Spain and he's only 23 years of age which is absolutely remarkable.

He's been an important player for Spain since bursting onto the scene at Euro 2020 and he comes into this World Cup as one of if not the best midfielder in the world.

The way he plays the game is similar to Andres Iniesta in that he's a brilliant carrier of the ball and can play passes through the thirds.

He was one of Barcelona's standout performers during their La Liga title win this season as he registered 9 assists and he looks set to play as bug a role for Spain at this World Cup as look to win it for a second time.

Vinicius Junior

Vinicius has established himself as one of the best attacking players in the world over the last few seasons with the amount of goals he's scored, but he hasn't exactly delivered for his country in major tournaments.

This could be the tournament where he finally delivers and especially as Carlo Ancelotti is his manager because Ancelotti helped him develop into a more complete player during their time together at Real Madrid.

With Neymar no longer the player he was and not a guaranteed starter, this tournament will give Vinicius the chance to step up and become Brazil's main man.

If he steps up and delivers the form he's shown for Real Madrid over the last four seasons, Brazil could end their 24 year wait for their sixth World Cup.

Harry Kane

Kane comes into this World Cup off the back of another stellar season at Bayern Munich as he netted a staggering 61 goals in all competitions.

England will be hoping that he can carry that form into the World Cup because their hopes of winning it will rest on his shoulders as he is such an important player for them.

He makes such a difference to England when he plays as their games in March showed as England looked flat and struggled without him in both games.

He won the golden boot at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and if he carries his form from this season into this tournament, he has a strong chance of winning another and leading England to glory.

Michael Olise

This will be Olise's first major tournament with France and he'll come into it as one of the most exciting players in world football following two stellar seasons at Bayern Munich.

I'm very much looking forward to watching him at this World Cup and especially after the season he's just had at Bayern where his numbers were just completely insane.

He plays more as a no.10 for France and that is probably because of the quality of attacking options they have at their disposal.

But I still fancy him to light up this World Cup because of what he's done at Bayern this season and France being my favourites to win this tournament.

Lamine Yamal

Yamal is already looking like one of the best players in the world at the age of just 18 and he comes into his first World Cup as Spain's go-to player.

The Euros two years ago was his breakthrough tournament with Spain and since then his game has gone onto another level.

I've said since his emergence that he could be as a good as Lionel Messi and I stand by that because he's arguably as good if not better than Messi was at his age.

He's just had a stellar season at Barcelona after registering 16 goals and 11 assists and if he carries that form with him into this tournament, Spain could go all the way and he could even win the Ballon D'or.

Kylian Mbappe

Mbappe has lit up every World Cup he has played in and I have him at no.1 because France are my favourites to win the tournament and and I think this could be the tournament where he stamps his authority as the best player in the world.

He won the best young player award in 2018 as France went all the way, won the golden boot in 2022 as they reached they finished runners up and in this one I'm backing him to win another golden boot and the player of the tournament award.

He comes into this World Cup one shy of the all-time goals record for France which is currently held by Olivier Giroud and he's very likely to break it at this tournament knowing the kind player he is.

He's also just had another prolific season at Real Madrid despite the lack of silverware and if he can carry that form with him into this World Cup and lead France to glory, he could finally win his first Ballon D'or.

MY TOP 10: